Wrap label with patterned adhesive

ABSTRACT

A label for use on separable-lid containers, hinged-lid containers, film-lid containers, and other types of packaging. The label includes at least one primary surface and at least two ends, with a patterned adhesive applied to said ends, and is designed to wrap substantially around a container, adhering to the container only at the surfaces with patterned adhesive. The bottom side of the primary surface of the label is left free for printing, couponing, or other use.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This non provisional patent application claims priority to the provisional patent application having Ser. No.61/278,383, having filing date Oct. 6, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a label or tag with patterned adhesive backing that can be affixed to a package or product for identification, couponing, advertisement, bar coding, or any other information that may be added to the package. Adhesive labels in an enormous variety of shapes and sizes are attached to packages to carry printed information about contents, safety, manufacturer, and any number of other subjects. One of the severest limitations of the utility of an adhesive label is the area of the label available for printing. A simple label with adhesive covering the majority of its bottom face has only the primary surface of the top face for printing the desired information.

Various means have been proposed to increase the label area available for printing. A common solution taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,073,377, to Mehta, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,667, to Ingle, employs what may be called an extended wrap label. Such a label has a length greater than the circumference of the container and wraps over itself, using a releasable adhesive to attach the upper layer or layers to the layer affixed to the container.

Another means of increasing the label area available for printing is taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,306,263, to Hudson. The Hudson patent teaches a label with a plurality of contiguous fan-folded pages affixed by adhesive to the surface of the label, with strips of adhesive on the edges of the pages to hold them flat when not in use.

These inventions teach labels with adhesive substantially covering their bottom surfaces. The information-carrying potential of the bottom surfaces of these labels is therefore wasted. In addition, the width of these labels is uniform throughout, requiring the inclusion of non-utile material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a label with patterned adhesive that allows for more efficient use of the primary surface of the label using less material. The label is designed to wrap around three or four sides of the container or package, with adhesive applied only to the ends of the label so that the label is primarily adhered to the sides or bottom of the container while leaving non-adhesive, unattached portions available on the primary surface of the label for back printing, couponing, bar coding, or any other purpose.

In the preferred embodiment, a label is designed for a six-sided container. The label is a planar section of material with a front, a back, two ends, a primary surface roughly midway between the two ends, and two ‘legs,’ narrower than the primary surface, extending between the primary surface and the ends. The primary surface is of a greater width than the remainder of the label. An adhesive is applied to tabs at each end of the label. The label may be constructed of a variety of films in a variety of calipers, including, but not limited to, high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, vinyl, polyester, polystyrene, and synthetic papers. The label may also be constructed of a variety of calipers and types of traditional papers, including, but not limited to, electronic data processing (EDP), bond, offset, tag, index, ledger, direct thermal, thermal transfer, high-gloss, semi-gloss, and linen papers. In the preferred embodiment, the adhesive is a pressure-sensitive adhesive, but a variety of adhesives may be used, including, but not limited to, permanent and removable adhesives; emulsion acrylic adhesives; hot melt rubber base adhesives; and UV curable adhesives. The primary surface of the label may be printed on either or both sides for use as a coupon, warning label, description of contents, bar code, promotion, incentive, or any other use desired. The primary surface of the label is placed on the top of the package or container, and the legs of the label wrap around the sides and/or bottom of the container, where the ends are affixed thereto by the adhesive on the end tabs. The primary surface of the label thus remains unaffixed to the container. The label may also be shaped so that the legs can be threaded through part of the container itself prior to attachment of the label ends.

In another embodiment, adhesive may also be applied to the back of the primary surface of the label to facilitate application with automatic labeling equipment.

In another embodiment, a booklet or similar means of expansion may be affixed by reusable adhesive to either side of the primary surface of the label to provide greater capacity for printed information.

In another embodiment, perforation may be added to the label to allow for detachment of the primary surface from the remainder of the label.

A further concept of this invention is to provide a label that is tamper proof, and should the label be torn, or partially removed, it would be indicative of an unauthorized entry into the container, to caution a potential purchaser against acquisition.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a patterned adhesive label that attaches to the sides or bottom of a container while leaving the primary surface unattached. In this way, the tag may be used for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to, sealing of clam shell containers; sealing of lidded containers; providing evidence of tampering; single or double-sided coupons; booklets; and product identification. The design of the label lends itself to various sustainability initiatives including, but not limited to, recycling, reduction of package material, and use of biodegradable materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In referring to the drawings,

FIG. 1 shows a bottom plan view of a wrap label with a relatively larger primary surface, two relatively narrow legs, and two adhesive ends;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a wrap label in use on a hinged-lid container. The primary surface of the tag substantially covers the top of the container, and the adhesive ends of the tag are affixed to the sides and bottom of the container;

FIG. 4 provides a plan view of a modification to the wrap label, showing its pattered adhesive perforated tear lines when the label is properly removed from its container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of the preferred embodiment of a wrap label 10 with primary surface 11, legs 12, and ends 13. Slanted lines represent the patterned adhesive applied to the bottom surfaces of ends 13. Broken vertical lines represent the borders of the adhesive surfaces as at 14. The perforated lines 15 are to facilitate the tearing of the label from its applied container, when a purchaser has acquired the food product or other packaged goods, and desires to remove the label to attain access into the container. The lines of perforation facilitate the tearing at that location, particularly since the purchaser may want to retain the label 10 intact, since it may contain instructions coupons, or other useful information.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wrap 10 label in use on a substantially six-sided hinged-lid container. The label has been formed so that its primary surface 11 substantially covers the top of the container, and the edges of the primary surface are substantially contiguous with the contoured edges of the container to make maximum use of the information-carrying capacity of the label's primary surface. As can be seen and understood, the bottom face of the primary surface is not adhered to the container. The legs 12 of the label, as in FIG. 2, need not remain in close contiguity with the container throughout their length. The ends of the label are shown adhered to the vertical sides and the horizontal bottom of the container. As can be seen and understood, the design of the label is such that a single label is suitable for use on a variety of container designs. The container in FIG. 2, for instance, has an asymmetrical top surface, but the symmetrical label is easily adapted for use with the container, as can be seen in the illustration. A wrap label may also be fashioned specifically for use on a particular type or shape of container.

FIG. 3 is a second perspective view of the wrap label 10 in use on the container of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view for another label, of different appearance, as can be noted at 16. This label likewise has a substantial primary surface 17, and having integral legs 18 extending laterally from its surface. At the ends of the legs, as at 19, there are a series of perforations, as at 20, and which facilitate the removal of the label intact, by tearing at the lines of perforation, when the primary surface of the wrap label 16 is to be removed. Also, adhesive is applied to the undersurface of the ends 19 of the label, at the region of the lines of perforation, to allow the label to be applied to a container, after the container is filled and latent with product for purchase.

Variation or modifications to the subject matter of this invention may occur to those skilled in the art upon review of the summary of the invention as provided herein, and upon undertaken a study of the description of its preferred embodiment, in view of the drawings. Such variations, if within the spirit of this invention, are intended to be encompassed within the scope of any claims to patent protection obtained hereon. For example, the patterned label may be fabricated of paper, of a plastic, but which may likewise, do to their patterned perforation, be easily torn free from the latent container. 

1. A wrap label for application to a container, comprising a patterned, die-cut piece of substantially planar flexible material, said label having a top and bottom surface, at least one primary surface for application of indicia, and at least two ends, with a patterned adhesive applied to the bottom surface of said ends for wrapping partially upon a container.
 2. The label of claim 1, wherein adhesive is applied to the ends of the label and to at least one other portion of the bottom surface of the label.
 3. The label of claim 1, wherein the ends of the wrap label contain series of perforations, within the region of the planar adhesive as applied to the bottom surface of the ends, said lines of perforation facilitating the removal of the label as the container is opened.
 4. The wrap label of claim 3 wherein said label is formed of paper.
 5. The wrap label of claim 3 wherein said label is fabricated of polymer.
 6. The wrap label of claim 3 wherein said label applies over the top of a container, an adhesively connects at its ends to one of the sides or bottom of the container.
 7. The wrap label of claim 3 wherein the top of the wrap label is capable of adhering indicia thereon.
 8. The wrap label of claim 3 wherein the top of the label is capable of adhering at least one coupon thereon.
 9. The wrap label of claim 3 wherein the ends of the wrap label are substantially wider than the legs, to provide a greater expanse of surface area to which adhesive made be applied for adhering the label to the sides or bottom of the container to which the label is applied.
 10. The wrap label of claim 9 wherein the lines of perforation are provided at the juncture between the label legs and their ends. 